The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-01-06

1887.
Life aud men were themes which
employed the pen OF Goethe, and the
characters who spoke and acted in his
works were men aud women. Hence
his success rs a poet and writer. HUI
manity, it is said, was Gods crowning
work, aud as time has rolled on, the
inspiration of the nobiest works of
genius has been man, thus proving
the truthfuiness of the assertion.
Another year has gone, and we are
reminded of the swiftuess of time and
how short the "days of our earthly
pilgrimage" are, aud it is with refer
ence to man aud the things which af
feet him. that this thought of feeting
time oaght to be considered, for to all
inanimate object years are rs second,
aud it matters not how slow or how
swift the march of the years is, if man
is left out of the question 1t follows,
then, that the essential thought is of
mau's progression towards higher
plane of existence, or his retrogression,
to look back aud note the almost i'm
measurable gulf lying between the
intellectual and moral plane of the
man of today and that of the man of
men to better appreciation Of the
priceless blessings of personal liberty
and protection, and the countless ben
efits of high civiliz ltiOn We need
go back only matter of shOrthu II
dred yeaTs, to see how superior the
men and women of today are to those
of that period. What is the cause?
1t must be answered, simply, that man
is being of progression. He has
progressed and is constantly progress
ing in thought aud aspiration. His
mind is expanding and throwing oil
the burdens of bigotry and unreason
ing, blind credu!ity which form erly
made captive his reason aud contract
ed his sphere of thought and action to
a very limited space of mother earth,
and to ideas of life and death that a
child of this age would not stop to
consider seriously. In the one great
lesson of federation, how much has
been learned? Here is the great secret
of progression. When reason is al
lowed an independent, uninterrupted
action, then old errors and fallacies
speedily vanish. Religious bigOtry
has caused more unhappiness and
horror in the worlds history than all
other causes combined, and today there
are those who can well remember
when to entertain any independents
views of such matters, be the reason
ever so lucid and clear, was deemed
almost a heresy, and the daring "in-
fidel" ostracised from good society.
How marked the contrast today
Witness the elevation of woman
the wonderful Intelligence possessed
by the common people the progress
of literature, science and art the alb
/ clifton of bewildering technicalities
and the adption of simple rules of
justice in our judicial proceedings
justice tempered with mercy, the ele
walton of the home, and it's attendant
bene etits.
Time and words are inadequate to
mention the changes of even fifty
years, and we can but feebly realize
the contrast. Every year is marked by
some great event or events affecting
more or less our whole people.
1855 and g witnessed the death of a
number of noted public men, among
them ex President U. s. Grant, who,
by his superior comprehension of the
great subjects that at times agitate the
minds of men and lead them to fight
for what they deem principle, and his
broad and correct conception and un-
derstanding of human nature, has
done more To heal up the old animos
tiles heretofore existing between the
North and South than any and all
other causes. He put the demagog TO
shame, aud rising above the petty,
contemplate consideration of party
or motives of triumph and revenge,
left an example of charity and philo-
sophical thought that men would do
well to emulate.
Tn is only one instance of the
great truths that have been inculcated
in the minds of our people during the
years 1885 6, and 1857 will doubtless
witness as striking and beneficial
changes in the affairs of men. We
are living in a golden age, and it is
well for us to realizs and appreciate
that fact, and rest contented and
thankful for what we have, and strive
by patient toll to elevate ourselves
still higher, so that 1887 may close
with as good record as 1886 in all
things.
The law gives county auditors the
| riuht fO aSsoSS tho StnraE of UnoiS Of O